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Sport Nation
“Optimism and hope”: Mature-age Dogs draftee makes pre-season statement
Lachlan Geleit • February 28th, 2025 12:02 pm
Western Bulldogs mature-aged recruit Sam Davidson made a great first impression in the club’s 77-66 AAMI Community Series win over Hawthorn in Launceston on Thursday.
The 23-year-old helped himself to 29 disposals, eight inside 50s and a goal in the victory and SEN’s Sam Edmund was one who was taken aback by his first official hit-out in the red, white and blue.
The former Richmond VFL star was drafted by the Dogs at Pick 51 in the National Draft and wasn't overawed by the step-up to AFL level.
“If pre-season is all about selling hope and optimism, then Sam Davidson was your Exhibit A last night,” Edmund told SEN Mornings.
“The Western Bulldogs' mature-age VFL recruit stands as the much-needed ray of sunshine to poke through the gathering clouds at an injury-hit Whitten Oval.
“Sam Davidson was more like a Harley Davidson down in Tassie, he purred around UTAS Stadium.
“Jeez, he was good. 29 touches, 8 inside 50s, a goal and 6 score involvements … at half-time, he had 23 disposals at 70 per cent efficiency.
“Optimism and hope … he was pick 51 in last year’s draft, and this is a young man studying medicine … well, he could have diagnosed himself with an old-fashioned dose of leather poisoning yesterday."
While Davidson was the ray of hope, things got even worse for the Dogs on the injury front down in Tassie with skipper Marcus Bontempelli exiting the game in the first quarter with a calf complaint and Laitham Vandermeer going down with concussion.
“He might have arrived in the nick of time because there's more cause for concern for Luke Beveridge down at the Dogs,” Edmund said.
“The captain Marcus Bontempelli was withdrawn with calf awareness. It was strictly precautionary, they're saying, and he’ll be fine for Round 1, and Laitham Vandermeer is in the concussion protocols.
“The Dogs have had the most brutal of pre-seasons on the injury front, and that's saying something, given the carnage across the competition.
“Liam Jones, Adam Treloar, Jason Johansson and Cody Weightman are all out long-term, and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan remains sidelined indefinitely.
“So, consider Davidson the soothing balm.”
The Dogs take next weekend off as they gear up for a Round 1 clash against North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium on Saturday, March 15.
